Apples Together, Apples Forever
by KnitzAndPearls
Summary: We're family but so much more.
1. Chapter 1

**New story, YAY! ^^**

**All rights belong to Hasbro and Lauren Faust. ;)**

* * *

Once upon a time, on a warm spring day, in a small farmhouse located just outside of Ponyville, a brother met his little sister for the very first time. She had been born at six o'clock exactly that morning, two hours before her brother awoke. He woke up to the call of a rooster, the sunlight in his eyes, and his grandmother calling his name. "Come on now, Macintosh." She said with a wide grin as she gently shook the three year-old colt's shoulder. "Wake up. While you were asleep, do you know what happened?"

"Wha?" He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes with his hooves.

"The stork finally arrived with your baby sister."

Little Macintosh sat upright, a grin forming on his face as he scurried out from under the blankets and off his bed so quickly that he nearly tripped over his own hooves. "Where is she?" He asked, excitement bubbling over.

"You come with me." Granny Smith smiled. "She's in your mama and daddy's room with them." As they walked the carpeted hallway of the farmhouse, a thousand questions ran through Macintosh's head. He wondered what the baby looked like. He wondered what color her eyes were. Would she like him? What was it like to have a little sister? All these and more swarmed the little colt's thoughts.

Granny stopped walking and turned to face him outside his parent's door. "Now you need to be quiet when you go in, okay? The baby and your mama are both tired."

"Okay!" He exclaimed, then under a stern glance, realized his mistake. "I mean... Okay." He whispered.

Granny opened the door, and gestured for him to walk past her. He entered the room, not really knowing what to expect. The room was slightly dim, not having electrical lighting, but the bright sunlight filtered through the curtains of the two windows on the far wall.

Macintosh's father, Summer Harvest, stood next to where Macintosh's mother, Golden Bloom, was sitting upright in bed. In her forelegs she was cradling a bundle wrapped up in a yellow blanket with a green ribbon. Summer Harvest smiled down at Macintosh. "Hey there, Mac." He said with a smile, then knelt down so he was at his level. "Want to meet your baby sister?"

Macintosh nodded and tried to climb up onto the bed, but was just a bit too short to pull himself up. Summer Harvest reached down and lifted his son, then placed him on the pillows next to Golden Bloom. He stood up beside his mother and peered down at the bundle of yellow blankets.

Golden Bloom smiled and moved the blankets to reveal a little baby filly, who had a fuzzy coat of peach, and little ringlets of blonde hair. Her tiny eyelids fluttered open to reveal beautiful green eyes that matched Macintosh's. "Oooh..." Macintosh murmured, grinning down at the baby. "She's real pretty, mama."

Granny Smith, Golden Bloom, and Summer Harvest watched as Macintosh slowly reached out a hoof towards the baby. "Gently, Macintosh." Golden Bloom reminded him.

He carefully touched his hoof to her hair, then felt her fuzzy peach fur. He was startled when he felt something nudge his foreleg, and saw the baby reaching her hoof towards his. He looked at her little green eyes as they met his, and he gently touched his hoof to hers, a smile widening upon his face. He looked up at his mother. "Mama, can I hold her?" Golden Bloom and Summer Harvest exchanged a glance, then looked back at Macintosh's pleading eyes. "Please, mama? Please, daddy? Let me hold her..."

"Well..." Golden Bloom said, looking between her son and the baby. "Alright." "Yay!" Macintosh exclaimed, earning him another stern glance from his grandmother. "I mean... Yay." He whispered.

Summer Harvest sat on the bed beside his wife and Macintosh, and helped his son to sit still as Golden Bloom gently lowered the bundle of blankets into his hooves. The colt stared down in wonder at his new baby sister's face, taking in every little detail about her. Her little ears, the curve of her mouth, the way her green eyes caught the sunlight... He looked over at his mother. "What's her name, mama?"

"We haven't chosen a name for her yet." Golden Bloom replied, running her hoof through her son's mane.

"Ohh..." Macintosh said, looking back down at the baby. He placed his hoof against her's again and smiled at her, a little giggle escaping him.

Granny Smith gazed down at her grandchildren. "Ya know, I think she looks like an 'Applejack'."

"Applejack..." Summer Harvest repeated, looking at the baby. "Golden, what do you think?"

"I think Applejack is the perfect name for her." Golden Bloom replied, smiling broadly.

"Yay!" Macintosh grinned. He looked down at his sister. "Hi, Applejack." He said to her as she stared back up at him. "I'm your big brother."

* * *

A month passed, and by then it was plain to see that Macintosh simply adored his little sister. From the time he woke up in the morning to when he went to bed at night, he could be found by her side. He sat beside her crib and watched her through the bars when she took her naps, and he laid beside her on the floor when she crawled around, playing on a blanket. He cuddled her whenever she cried, and her first smile was straight towards him.

"Hi, Applejackie." Macintosh grinned one afternoon, laying down in the floor beside where Applejack laid on her back on a blanket, holding an apple-shaped rattle that jingled. She held it in one hoof and shook it, giggling at the noise it made.

As Macintosh watched Applejack play, Golden Bloom stood at the sink washing dishes, while Granny Smith worked on baking an apple pie. Summer Harvest was outside in the orchard, tending to the apple trees.

Macintosh leaned on his elbows, fascinated with watching the baby. She rolled over onto her stomach and Macintosh wondered if she would crawl. "Come on, Jackie." He grinned. "Like this." And he demonstrated crawling. The baby babbled and kept shaking her rattle. "Mama, why won't she crawl?"

"She's still learning, Macintosh." Golden Bloom smiled, drying a dish. "These things take time." Macintosh sighed and laid down again, looking at the baby. With his hoof he gently stroked her blonde hair, then giggled as she made a grab for his arm. The front door creaked open and Summer Harvest stepped inside. He smiled and walked over to Golden Bloom, ruffling Macintosh and Applejack's manes as he walked past.

"Golden?" He said, taking off his large Stetson and laying it on a chair, "I've got something I want to ask you about."

"Yes, dear?" Golden asked, stepping away from the sink and drying her hooves on a dish towel.

"This farm house is just beginning to feel a bit small, what with two young'uns, and the whole rest of the family sometimes visiting. I've been thinking about building on an addition. Another three downstairs rooms, two more upstairs, and expanding the attic." Summer told her, leaning against the counter. "Of course, we'd have to wait until next spring when after cider season, so that the profit brought in can be used towards payin for it... But what do you say?"

Golden thought for awhile. "I think it's a good idea, but... Let's keep thinking about it before we make any big decisions."

"Golden's right." Granny smiled. "Y'all keep a-thinking before you do anything big like that." Summer nodded and looked down at Macintosh and Applejack in the floor.

He reached down and picked up Applejack, tickling her under her chin. "How's my little girl this evening?" He cooed, cradling her in his hooves. He kissed her head, then laid her back down on the blanket.

"Mac, you want to come lick the spoon?" Granny smiled, holding up the spoon she'd used to stir the cinnamon, sugar, and lemon juice into the apple slices with for the pie. Macintosh nodded eagerly and ran over to her.

A few moments later, Golden's attention was brought over to where Applejack was babbling loudly. She looked over, and there, to her surprise, Applejack had crawled across the floor to the chair where Summer had placed his Stetson, and she had climbed up against the chair, trying to grab onto the large hat. "Well, look at that." Golden remarked, picking Applejack up. "That hat is a bit too big for you, my love."

She placed her back on her blanket, but Applejack immediately crawled back over to the chair. "Mama, look!" Macintosh cried. "She did it!" He giggled. "She's trying to get daddy's hat."

Summer Harvest stepped back into the room and lifted up the hat and placed it on Applejack's head. The hat was so enormous compared to the little filly that it covered most of her back as well. The baby grinned and laughed, and Summer smiled back. "It suits you, Jackie." He picked her up and cuddled her against him. "Tell you what, one day, you can have daddy's hat."


	2. Chapter 2

**Lots of credit in this chapter to be given to 'Supa Supa Bad Truly Mad Moves', for letting me use the OC name Mincemeat that he had on hand, and also his OC band Przewalski. C: Also for use of his ponsona. Sagebrush Pen.**

**Check out his fanfic "Romance and the Fate of Equestria"!**

* * *

Seven years passed. It was a cool morning on the apple farm, with a dark mist curling around the trunks of the trees in the orchard. The sun was just coming up on the horizon and casting rays of golden, pink, and orange across the sky.

Earlier than usual, Macintosh and Applejack were hurried out of bed and rushed through their oatmeal, then sent out the door towards school. When they returned, they'd go to help Summer Harvest in the orchard for awhile, after a snack in the kitchen. Then it would be finishing up homework until dinner time. "Finish up your breakfast and scoot along out the door now." Granny Smith said to the three young children at the table.

Alongside Applejack and Macintosh sat their cousin Braeburn. Braeburn, his little sister, and his parents, Golden Bloom's sister and brother in-law, had arrived earlier in the week and were staying for a visit with the Apple family.

Braeburn and Macintosh had been hanging closely together, thick as thieves, one might say. They'd built a tree-house in one of the old apple trees out in the orchard, and had spent almost all of their free time up in it. And had, to Applejack's dismay, nailed a big, with red paint dripping off of it "No Girls Allowed" sign on the front.

Applejack, at the time, was a freckled, little filly, with long knobby legs, and two thick braids that swung when she walked. At school, she steered away from the popular girls, which included Rarity, destined-to-be fashion designer from a wealthy family, Vinyl Scratch, a punk filly who gave an attitude of caring only about when the next Przewalski album came out, Octavia, a musical prodigy, and a few other wealthy children, and musically and artistically inclined ones.

She didn't really have any good friends, but she occasionally talked to a pink filly named Cheerilee, and a blue filly with a swirly pink mane who's name was Sugar Icing. The three of them sat together at lunch, even though Sugar Icing was in Macintosh's age group, a few levels above Applejack herself.

Their school was a one-room schoolhouse. The older children sat at the back, and the younger ones sat up front.

Their teacher was a young stallion with kind eyes. His name was Sagebrush Pen. He was a writer in his spare time, and he loved teaching the children. He was good at keeping them in order and breaking up fights when they happened.

On the way to school, Braeburn and Macintosh ran ahead of Applejack. She struggled to keep up, but they quickly outran her, and so she just stayed back a few paces, and let them have their space. They were making plans for building a tire swing to hang down from the tree house.

Applejack sighed as they crossed over a little wooden bridge. The boards creaked underneath their hooves and Applejack stopped and looked over the edge of the railing. The old, white paint was peeling away revealing a solid wood underneath. Down below the bridge fish frolicked, lily pads floated gently, and a turtle or two swam with a carefreeness throughout the gently flowing water. Applejack looked down at them and smiled a little, then looked back after her brother and cousin. She could try to catch up to them, but she knew they'd just brush her away.

Macintosh and Applejack were at an age where, being brother and sister, they were the best of friends, and the worst of enemies. Some days he could hug her, but on other days, she had cooties. If he stole the last cookie before she could get it, he'd better watch his back, though that afternoon they might play hide-and-go-seek.

Applejack decided to hang back and keep walking a few steps behind Braeburn and Macintosh.

Macintosh grinned at Braeburn. "We'll have to get one of Daddy's old tractor tires." He said, "And there's a rope in the barn behind the hay bales that we can use."

"Great!" Braeburn exclaimed, "We'll do it after school. He looked back over his shoulder and saw Applejack listening to their conversation with hungry eyes at the mention of the tire swing. Braeburn lowered his voice to a whisper. "How are we gonna ditch Tag-along Tattle-tale?"

Macintosh groaned and looked back at Applejack, who skipped to catch up with them. "Whatcha talkin bout?" She asked curiously.

"Big foal stuff. You wouldn't understand." Braeburn sneered.

"I might!" Applejack shot back. "And besides, you aren't. I heard you. You two are gonna build a tire swing. And I'm going to tell mama and daddy that you want to leave me out again. They'll make you share it with me and Cheerilee, and Sugar Icing, and Cousin Apple Jam-"

Braeburn leaned over towards Macintosh. "If she doesn't keep it quiet, We'll have to share..." He said quietly.

Macintosh sighed. "Jackie, please... we'll let you have a turn on it if you don't tell anyone else."

Applejack grinned and hugged Macintosh, who blushed and nudged her away. "Okay, okay, get off of me, sis..." Macintosh sighed as Applejack ran ahead into the schoolyard. He loved his sister, but-

"She can be really annoying!" Braeburn said, as he and the red colt entered the schoolhouse. Most of the other ponies, fillies, and colts were already there, standing around in their little groups in various corners of the room, talking amongst themselves.

Applejack walked past the group of popular girls, and heard a giggle and a whisper of "farm girl". Applejack sighed and sat down at the desk that was two desks from the front. The little peach filly often wondered what the life of extravagance was life. She was constantly teased for her plain clothes and plain, simple living. At least teased by the popular girls. Rarity, the leader of the clique, usually held back from the name calling, but she was the only one. The rest of them did it seemingly with hopes of impressing their leader, who just laughed and sneered at Applejack. They would never understand why Rarity never took part in the name calling and particularly harsh beratement.

"Hey, AJ." Applejack turned, feeling a tap on her shoulder. She smiled widely when she saw Sugar Icing and Cheerilee perched on the desk behind hers. "We need to talk during lunch." Cheerilee smiled.

Applejack could see that Sugar Icing was about to bubble over with excitement. Cheerilee elbowed her and she blushed and giggled. Sugar Icing kept looking over to the boy's side of the room, for reasons Applejack couldn't understand. Then she followed Sugar's line of sight. She was looking at Carrot Cake. Ah. Applejack understood now. "Did he ask you out?!" Applejack tried not to shriek. She blushed as all eyes in the schoolhouse turned to her.

"Shhhhh!" Cheerilee said, grabbing Applejack's face.

Sugar Icing blushed again. "No... not yet. But he said he likes me too. At least that's what Cheerilee heard from her younger brother, who heard it from Third Strike, who heard it from Paperweight-" she took a gulp of air "Who heard it from... Carrot Cake."

"Oh." Applejack said, now less impressed.

The entire school shipped Sugar Icing and Carrot Cake, and were just waiting on the two to get together. Sugar and Carrot knew it, but were too nervous to talk to each other.

The door at the back of the schoolhouse opened, and all the ponies quieted down a bit. Through the door waltzed a stocky pony who was about ten, just a little older than Macintosh. His name was Mincemeat, and at his side were his two cronies, two twin brothers named Sneezer and Honker. Sneezer was constantly sneezing, sniffling, and blowing his amazingly tiny nose. He had a low, nasally voice, whereas Honker spoke perfectly clearly, quite surprising seeing as his nose was huge. These three were the schoolyard bullies. They were notorious for stealing jump ropes and frisbees, pushing around anyone they could, taunting, teasing, and just... Being bullies.

They walked slowly to their seats, but as they passed by one of the groups of girls, Mincemeat reached over and tugged at one of the younger filly's hair ribbons. She jumped back, startled, and her ribbon came loose, wafting to the floor. Sneezer placed his hoof atop it. "Give it b-back." The filly said, her eyes fearful.

"Or what?" Mincemeat asked casually.

"Never mind." The filly said, backing away, her lower lip trembling.

Macintosh glared in Mincemeat's direction. He didn't like watching this guy constantly beat up everyone. He was about to step forward to defend the filly, but Carrot Cake and Braeburn held him back.

The doors opened again, and Sagebrush Pen stepped inside. The children quickly took their seats, and a hush fell over the room. Macintosh's eyes wandered over to Mincemeat's saddlebag. He saw the filly's pink ribbon sticking out and he sighed.

Sagebrush stood near the blackboard, then faced his students. "Good morning, children."

"Good morning, Mr Sagebrush." They all chorused in reply.

* * *

At lunch, which the children ate outside, Applejack sat with Sugar Icing and Cheerilee. "I think he really likes me!" Sugar Icing said with a blush. She glanced over at Carrot Cake, her blush growing again.

Cheerilee giggled. "Just tell him you like him!"

"I can't do that!" Sugar Icing gasped.

Applejack looked away, her mind not really on the conversation. At other blankets spread on the ground, the other children sat, happily speaking amongst themselves. Applejack's eyes wandered to the group of the popular kids, who occupied the one picnic table, and wondered, again, what it must be like.

Her eye's drifted again and they locked onto Macintosh's. He smiled briefly at her, then took another bite of his lunch. She grinned back.

After she'd gulped down the last of her lunch, Applejack, Cheerilee, and a Pegasus named Derpy went to play hopscotch until the bell rang and they were called back inside for school. Derpy was usually singled out for teasing and bullying, as she could be very clumsy. She didn't mean to be, of course, but she had an eyesight problem that made her a bit dizzy and not so steady-hooved. She grinned happily at the opportunity to play with Cheerilee and Applejack. They invited her to play with them often, as they thought she was sweet, and they saw past her clumsiness to the lonely filly inside.

Derpy tossed the rock onto the colorful, numbered, chalk squares they'd drawn. It landed with a clatter on 7. Derpy grinned again, and began hopping from square to square, albeit a bit shakily.

Suddenly, a voice rang out across the schoolyard. "Hey, Crosseyes, don't you think that that game is a bit too hard for you? You'll stumble and fall, like you always do!" Mincemeat called out, with a sneer.

"Yeah!" Sneezer and Honker followed up, with a few loud sniffles from the former.

"I will not!" Derpy called back. "You big meanie!" She stuck her tongue out, then hopped again, but suddenly lost her footing. She flapped her wings furiously, but couldn't catch herself, and landed on the hard cement.

Mincemeat laughed till his sides hurt. He walked up to where Derpy was lying on the ground, feeling as though she wanted to sink into it and stay hidden there forever. Her face was red with shame, and tears stung her eyes. "Aww, poor baby!" Mincemeat said with a cold laugh.

Derpy turned her head away as Applejack and Cheerilee helped her up. "What's the matter," Mincemeat taunted, "Is the baby gonna cry?!"

"Stop it." All eyes who'd been watching what was going on turned to see Macintosh standing behind Mincemeat, a low glare on his face.

Applejack's eyes widened as Mincemeat turned and approached her brother. "What did you say?" Mincemeat asked, his tone matching Macintosh's.

"I said stop it. Leave her alone. You're always beating up the little kids. Give it a rest, would you?" Macintosh said in one breath.

"Who's gonna make me?" Mincemeat asked, his glare deepening.

Macintosh looked back and forth then took a step backwards. "I... I.."

"I thought not." Mincemeat smiled with a satisfied grin, and walked away.

* * *

The children walked home after school, through a bit of a wind that was picking up. The skies were dark as well, signaling an oncoming storm. Inside, Golden Bloom was waiting for them. "Hello, Macintosh, hello Applejack, hello, Braeburn." She smiled. "How was school?"

"We learned about how Ponyville was founded." Applejack squeaked, setting her saddlebag down and sitting at the table, taking a cookie from the plate there.

"Do you all have lots of homework?" Golden Bloom asked, stepping behind Applejack and unbraiding her mane, then gently rebraiding it.

"Braeburn and I do, Applejack doesn't." Macintosh replied. "Alright. Finish your homework before you work on the tire swing." Golden Bloom said.

"Golden, you should be resting!" Granny Smith chided as she entered the room.

"Please, I'm fine." Golden Bloom replied. "The baby is perfectly alright and so am I."

"The doctor said you needed to stay off your hooves." Granny said.

Golden sighed and nodded. "Alright." She giggled. "You worry too much."

Golden Bloom was pregnant again. She was expecting the baby sometime in midsummer. But there had been a few complications along the way with this one, causing Golden Bloom to require lots of rest and keeping her hooves up. That was the reason for Braeburn and his family's visit. To help out until Golden could handle things on her own again.

"Granny?" Applejack asked, "What's wrong with momma?"

"Hush and don't you worry." Granny replied, setting to work on making dinner.

Applejack finished her snack, then did her homework. After it had been completed, she rushed outside. It was still a bit windy. She ran through the orchard until she found Summer Harvest, bucking the apples off some of the trees. He grinned when he saw Applejack. "There's my little girl!" He smiled, lifting her up and spinning her. He kissed the top of her head, then set her down on her hooves again.

She looked up at him with a grin. "Can I help you with the apples, daddy?"

"You're a bit too little yet, Jackie." Summer replied. "The muscles in your legs aren't strong enough enough for apple bucking. But you could keep me company while I'm at it."

"Daddy..." Applejack said, standing on her hind legs and taking his hat from him and putting it on her own head. "Come on, just let me try it." She grinned.

"Well... Alright." Summer Harvest replied. "Let me show you how though." He stood beside the tree, with his back to it, then after a moment, kicked the tree, his hooves slamming into the trunk. The tree shook and several bunches of apples fell from it, landing in a bucket placed beneath the branches. "Now you try." He said to Applejack.

Applejack turned her hind legs to the tree, gathered her momentum, then kicked the tree hard. Five apples fell neatly into the basket. "Good job, Jackie." Summer Harvest grinned.

Applejack smiled proudly, but noticed a soreness when she walked a few steps. "Daddy, is it supposed to make your legs hurt?"

"That's just because you're new to this, baby girl. In a few months, you'll be a pro, and be all nice and strong." He smiled.

Applejack grinned. "I wanna do it again!"

"Okay, but be careful." He said, handing her an empty basket. "And just the trees inside this fence. The other apples aren't ripened yet." They set to work together, and soon Macintosh joined them.

Applejack's thought's wandered. "Daddy?"

"Yeah, Jackie?"

"Today at school, one of the bigger ponies was picking on a little Pegasus." Applejack said. "He called her names and teased her because she has trouble seeing."

Summer Harvest stopped what he was doing. "What was the pony's name? The one doing the teasing?"

"His name is Mincemeat. He bullies everybody." Applejack replied.

"Applejack!" Macintosh hissed through his teeth.

Summer Harvest turned to his son. "Mac?"

"Nothing... Dad..." Macintosh sighed. "I just don't want you to go talking to the teacher or anyone over this, cause then everyone will call Applejack a tattletale."

"Son, if ponies are being bullied, I think your teacher ought to know." Summer Harvest replied, picking up the baskets of apples, and starting towards the barn. The children followed him.

Macintosh's eyes landed on a large tractor tire. "Hey, dad..?"

"Yeah?"

"Can Braeburn and I-"

"Summer!" Came Granny's urgent voice from the porch.

Summer bolted from the barn and ran towards the house. It had begun sprinkling rain. She met him halfway across the yard. She was frantic. "Summer, it's Golden... She... We've got to get her to the hospital."

"What's wrong?" He asked as they hurried inside. "It's something wrong with the baby."

Granny Smith replied. "She's upstairs." Summer went upstairs as quickly as he could.

Applejack and Macintosh rushed inside the house, but were stopped by Granny in the kitchen before they could reach the stairs. "Y'all need to stay downstairs." She told them firmly.

Braeburn and his sister Apple Jam were sitting at the table. Applejack and Macintosh joined them, and Granny served dinner, but the two Apple children were too nervous to eat.

Golden and Summer came downstairs and Golden bid goodbye to Applejack and Macintosh before she went to the hospital. It was clear that she was in pain, but she still hugged them close and smiled. "Applejack, be a good girl, listen to Granny, and your brother. Help out with the chores. I love you very much." She said, then kissed her daughter's cheek.

"Macintosh, look after your sister and grandmother, help out with the chores. Listen to what your grandmother says, alright?" She smiled and ruffled his mane. "I love you."

"Love you too, mama." He smiled, wrapping his hooves around her.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for all the reviews so far! ^^

* * *

Applejack woke up in the middle of the night, tears streaming down her face. She'd had a nightmare. Her parents had been on the way to the hospital, and the rain had caused the cart to slip on the cobblestone and crash, splintering into pieces. Then it all went black. Applejack was prone to nightmares. Her mother said she'd grow out of it, that she herself had been the same way, but Applejack still didn't like having to wait.

She crawled out from under her covers, and her feet touched the cold wood of the floor. She silently moved across the hallway and towards Macintosh's room. "Mac..." She whispered as she reached his bedside. "Macintosh.."

She nudged his arm with her hoof. "Mac!" She said in a loud whisper.

He opened one eye. "Wha... What is it, Applejack?"

"I had a nightmare." She said, more tears flowing down her face at the memory of it. "And momma and daddy aren't here, and granny snores... C-can I stay with you?"

"Can you what?" He asked, lifting his head.

"Can I stay with you for the rest of the night?" She asked desperately. "Please... I'm scared."

Macintosh watched his little sister curl up in the floor, covering her eyes with her hooves and start silently sobbing again. He climbed out of bed and laid beside her, putting one foreleg around her shoulders. "Jackie... It's okay. It was just a dream. Whatever it was, it wasn't real." He said, gently stroking her hair. This felt a bit odd to him. It had been ages since he had comforted her. But his mother had said "Look after your sister"... So that was what he was going to do.

"Come here, Jackie." He said, standing up and lifting her to her hooves. "Come climb in bed with me."

Applejack sniffled and brushed away a few tears, then curled up beside Macintosh in the bed. He pulled the blankets over her and she laid her head on his pillow.

Macintosh laid so he was facing her and he wiped a stray teardrop off her cheek. "Jackie... What was your nightmare about?"

She sniffed and then told him what had happened. Macintosh looked at her with sympathy. "Jackie... It was just a dream... Momma and daddy got to the hospital just fine... If they hadn't, we would've heard."

Applejack nodded and curled up against him, closing her eyes. Macintosh tensed up, then wrapped his arms around her.

* * *

When Granny Smith found them the next morning, they were cuddled against each other, blankets pulled over them, and snoring lightly.

"Y'all wake up." Granny said, gently shaking her grandson's shoulder. "Wake up now, Mac."

Macintosh opened his eyes and yawned. He rubbed his eyes and their focus settled on Granny. She was concealing a worried look, and her eyes were tired, as though she hadn't slept well. Macintosh sat up, suddenly remembering what had happened the night before. "Granny, how is-"

"I don't know yet, Mac." Granny said. "Get Applejack and you two come downstairs for breakfast."

She left the room and Macintosh turned to where his sister still lay, asleep. The sun was shining through the window across the room, having only risen recently. The rooster crowed outside, and Macintosh watched Applejack stir in her sleep. "Applejack..." He whispered. "Jackie... Wake up."

Applejack's eyes fluttered open and she looked up at her brother. Together, they went downstairs. Granny Smith had made apple muffins for breakfast. They and Braeburn and Apple Jam began to eat, but a solemn silence hung over the kitchen.

Just then, the front door opened and Summer Harvest walked inside. He looked tired and stressed. Granny Smith rushed over to him, an anxious look on her face. "Well?" She said in a hushed tone.

He sighed and glanced at Macintosh and Applejack, then back to Granny. "Not here." He said.

Granny and Summer walked over to a remote part of the room and began speaking in hushed tones. Applejack strained her ears, but couldn't hear any of the conversation.

All she caught was her father saying towards the end "No reason to worry them yet."

Granny sighed heavily and said in her usual tone "Why don't you get some coffee?"

Summer nodded and sat down at the table. He placed his hooves in his hands. A tense silence hung over the kitchen, and Applejack sighed. She looked up at her father. "Daddy?" She said softly, hopping down and moving over to sit beside him.

"Yes, Jackie?" He asked, shooting a partial smile at his baby girl.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm just fine, baby." He said, ruffling her hair. He took his hat off of his head and placed it on hers.

Granny walked over to the table and placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of Summer, and then looked at the children. "Y'all need to be runnin along to school now. Or else you're gonna be late."

"Yes, Granny." They chorused, and all but Apple Jam, who was too little to attend school, trudged out the door.

* * *

"I'm worried about momma." Applejack said to Macintosh as they walked along the familiar path towards the schoolhouse.

Macintosh sighed and kicked a pebble with his hoof.

Applejack looked away. Macintosh didn't get worried or upset a lot, but when he did, he'd lapse into silence.

They continued walking, and soon reached the schoolyard. Mincemeat and his buddies were already there, and Macintosh saw them intimidating one of the small colts.

Applejack watched anger seep into her brother's expression. "One day I'm gonna get him for the taunting and teasing he does to all the little kids." Macintosh said in a low tone.

"Just leave him." Braeburn said. "He's not worth your time."

They continued into the schoolhouse, and were greeted by their teacher, who stood at his desk, a grin on his face. "Good morning, Macintosh, Applejack, Braeburn."

"Good morning, Mr Sagebrush." They replied in unison.

Macintosh and Braeburn went off to the opposite side of the room to talk to Carrot Cake before class started, and Applejack sat down by herself on the bench. She rested her head on her hooves and sighed. She was still worried about her mother. She felt uneasy, and her stomach hurt.

"Applejack?" A voice beside her said.

She turned her head and saw Mr Sagebrush standing beside the bench. "Yes, Mr Sagebrush?" She asked.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, sitting down beside her.

Applejack sighed. "Its just that... Last night, Momma had to go to the hospital... And I'm awful worried about her and the baby, sir." She took a deep breath as her eyes began to water. "And Granny and Daddy won't tell me what's wrong."

Mr Sagebrush thought for a few minutes. "Well you know Applejack, sometimes adults don't tell fillies and colts things because they don't want them to worry."

"But I already am worried!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sure your father and grandmother are only doing what they feel is best for you." Sagebrush said. He placed his hoof on her shoulder. "I know something that might cheer you up."

"Yes?" Applejack asked without much enthusiasm.

"I've got two special guests coming in for our lesson today." He replied. "They should be here soon."

Applejack looked up with curiosity. Mr Sagebrush smiled at her, then walked back to his desk.

A few minutes later the bell rang, and all the students filed inside and into their seats.

Then the door opened. Sagebrush's wife, Scribble Heart, stepped inside, holding in one foreleg a little baby unicorn.

"Class," Sagebrush started, "This is my wife Scribble Heart, and our baby colt, Luminous Evening. Today we're going to talk about pony genetics."

The class aww'd over the little baby with green fur and a light blue mane. Sagebrush smiled proudly. "Now as you can see, my wife is an alicorn. And I'm a unicorn. Our baby is a unicorn too. But you might wonder, why isn't he a pegasus? Or even an alicorn himself? We're going to talk about how this works and how two unicorns could have a foal unicorn, or how two earth ponies could have an earth pony foal, or how in rare cases, a unicorn and a Pegasus could have an alicorn..."

* * *

At recess, Scribble Heart put Luminous on a blanket in the yard outside. All the fillies sat around the blanket and watched the baby crawl around.. All except Applejack, who stood beside Macintosh a few yards away. "Mac, what do you think our baby brother or sister is gonna look like?"

"Probably he or she will be an earth pony, since momma and dad and granny are all earth ponies." Macintosh said.

"What color do you think it'll be?"

"Probably red or peach like momma or dad. Or could always be green, like Granny." Macintosh said.

"I'm still worried about momma." Applejack sighed.

"Me too, Jackie." Mac replied.

Applejack looked up at her brother for a few minutes, then went and sat on the swing set. She pressed her hooves into the soft earth to push herself forward, then lifted them underneath her as she swung back. She noticed Rarity walking up to the swings and sitting down on the one beside her.

"Hi." Applejack murmured after a silence passed.

"Hi." Rarity replied. "You're... Applejack, right?"

"That's right." She replied, bracing herself for the teasing.

"I'm Rarity, but you probably know that." The white-coated filly said.

Applejack kept swinging. "Yeah... I know. Everyone knows who you are."

Rarity sat in silence, then began to swing as well. "Applejack... Have you ever felt like some of your friends are fake? That they only like you for something you have? I overheard a few of my friends talking today... They said something about only liking me because I sometimes invite them over to my house, which is a bit lavish."

"I-I.. I don't really know..." Applejack replied awkwardly. "I only have two friends."

"Only two?!" Rarity cried. "Well then, you must join my clique."

Applejack tilted her head. "What's a clique?"

Rarity smiled. "My group of me and my friends."

"But I'd never fit in there..."

"What's it matter?" Rarity asked, slowing her swing down.

"Well..."

"Please?"

Applejack nodded. "Okay then."

Rarity jumped up and down. "Yay! I'll see you later then?"

"I guess so..."

Rarity grinned and walked away. Applejack smiled, continuing to swing back and forth. After a few more minutes, she slowed to a stop and jumped off the swing set. She began to walk towards where Rarity and her 'clique' stood talking and sharing the latest gossip... But she didn't see the outstretched hoof waiting to trip her up. She let out a cry as she fell to the ground, landing hard. She heard a mean laughing behind her. Applejack looked up to see Mincemeat, Sneezer, and Honker.

They were all laughing. "You just fell flat on your face!" Mincemeat shouted through his laughter. "Nice going, Lanky Legs."

Applejack's eyes began to water.

"Oh look, now she's gonna cry. Poor wittle baby!" Mincemeat said, busting a gut.

"Hey!" A voice shouted, "Leave my sister alone!"

Mincemeat looked up to see Macintosh storming towards him, an angry glare set deep in his face. "And what're you gonna do about it?"

Braeburn galloped over to Applejack and helped her up, pulling her away from where his cousin stood confronting the bully.

"Why do you gotta pick on the little kids?!" Macintosh shouted. "Why can't you just leave em alone?!"

"Why do you care?" Mincemeat asked.

Macintosh's nostrils flared. "If you EVER hurt my sister again-"

"Oh, that was your sister?" Mincemeat interrupted. "In that case..." He walked over to Applejack, then reached out and shoved her. Turning back to Macintosh, he grinned. "I don't care!"

Macintosh extended a hoof and punched Mincemeat hard in the mouth.

Mincemeat glared at him. "You wanna fight me?!" He asked. "Well fine! I'll win anyway!" He said, then before Macintosh could defend himself, head-butted him in the chest.

Before anyone knew what was happening, Mincemeat was on the ground, Macintosh standing above him, punching and kicking him repeatedly. All the other ponies watched in horror, and one ran inside to find Mr Sagebrush.

"Stop picking on everyone!" Macintosh shouted in between hits.

Mincemeat gasped for breath, but blood trickled down his throat and choked him. Both his eyes were blackened and his sides were bruised.

Macintosh couldn't even think straight. It had all become hazy and red with his anger. He'd been holding in his emotions all morning, and now they all poured out in a waterfall. Suddenly he felt a pair of hooves dragging him away from Mincemeat, and after a few moments his thoughts cleared enough to hear Mr Sagebrush's voice. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Macintosh's eyes settled on where Scribble Heart was helping Mincemeat to his hooves. He looked at Mincemeat, black and blue and bloody. Then he looked down at his own hooves. HE had done that? He glanced back up at Mr Sagebrush. "I-I'm... Sorry.."

"What's gotten into you, Macintosh?" The teacher asked, still incredulous.

"He... He hurt Applejack." Macintosh replied, looking down ashamed.

Mr Sagebrush sighed. "I'll be speaking to your parents about this." He said to Mincemeat and Macintosh, then walked away.

Applejack walked up to Macintosh and hugged him. "Thanks for standing up for me, Mac."

Macintosh hugged her back, but said nothing.

Just then, Derpy flew up to him. "Good job facing that bully! You really taught him a lesson, Big Macintosh."

Macintosh looked up at her. "'Big' Macintosh?"

"Yeah," Braeburn said, "Cause you were the only one big enough to stand up to that bully."

Macintosh looked around at all the faces of the colts and fillies. They looked at him with admiration. And for the first time that day, Macintosh smiled.

* * *

Macintosh, Braeburn, and Applejack all walked back to Sweet Apple Acres that afternoon after school. They crossed the bridge and approached the tiny farmhouse. Applejack noticed something. "Look Mac, the cart is back in the barn... Momma and daddy must be home!" She exclaimed excitedly, then ran ahead. She was the first to reach the door, and she rushed into the kitchen. And stopped short. Summer Harvest sat at the table with Granny Smith. Their eyes were both clouded with tears.

"What's.. What's wrong?" Applejack asked, a cold fear hitting her hard in the chest. Macintosh and Braeburn now stood behind her, wondering the same thing.

"Mac... Jackie..." Summer started, "Your momma and baby brother... They..."

"They... didn't make it." Granny finished for him.

Applejack couldn't move. She couldn't see. She couldn't think straight. Her momma... And her baby brother... Were gone? She felt like she'd been hit by a pony cart. "W..what?" She asked, her eyes filling with tears.

"Your momma had trouble having the baby, and she... Couldn't survive it." Granny said. "Your... baby brother was born too early."

Applejack fell to the floor, her knees buckling underneath her. How could they just be gone?

* * *

Feedback is appreciated. ^^


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